The Holy Spirit (cont’d)

 

 

8.  How Can We Go On Being Filled with the Holy Spirit?

 

We Have To want To Be Filled With All Our heart.

 

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  (Psalm 42:1-2).

Jesus said: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him”.  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. (John 7:37-39)

 

We Have To Give Him Every Part Of Ourselves.

 

Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”. (Matthew 22:37).

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honour God with your body.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.  (Romans 12:1).

 

We Have To Ask God To Fill Us.

 

Jesus said: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.  Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”  (Luke 11:9-13).

For further study: John 15:1-17.

 

9.  How Does The Holy Spirit Help The Church As A Body?

 

He Unites The People of God.

 

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.  For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body…and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit – Just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6).

 

He Helps Us To Worship The Lord Jesus

 

You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.  Therefore I tell you that no-one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed”, and no one can say “Jesus is Lord”, except by the Holy Spirit.  (1 Corinthians 12:2-3).

Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Spirit.  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20).

 

He Gives Us Power To Witness about Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus said: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. (Acts 1:8).

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they where all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.  With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:31,33).

 

He Gives Power To The Preaching Of The Gospel.

 

Paul, the Apostle, wrote: When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that you faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).

We know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5).

 

 He Brings God’s Gifts To Make The Church Strong To Do God’s Work.

 

 To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be    pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the         Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:7,11-13).

 For further study: Romans 15:5-6. John 17:20-23.

 Acts 4:1-14; 6:8-10. Romans 1:11-12.

 

10.  What Are The Gifts The Holy Spirit Brings?

 

There Are Many And Varied.  Some Are Mentioned Directly…

 

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8).

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and still to another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:7-10).

In the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12-28).

 

 

11. Are There Gifts For All God’s People?

 

God Gives His Gifts As He Decides.

 

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.            (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 11).

 

Everyone Has At Least One Gift.

 

To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and all these members do not have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (Romans 12:4-6).

 

Every Member In The Church is different.

 

The body is not made up of one part but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body”, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not the eye, I do not belong to the body”, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be/ But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:14-20).

 

All Are Needed.

 

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable… God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.  Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  (1 Corinthians 12:21, 24-27).

 

We Should Seek To Use Our Gifts To Help The Church To Grow.

 

Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

(1 Corinthians 14:12).

Eagerly desire the greater gifts.  And now I will show you the most excellent way.  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails… Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts.

(1 Corinthians 12:31-13:8; 14:1.

For further study: (1 Corinthians 7:7; James 1:16-17).

 

 

12.  How Are God’s Gifts To Be Used?

 

With Humility, With Order, With Wisdom – Not Selfishly.

 

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.

(1 Peter 4:10-11).

When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.  All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.  If anyone speaks in a tongue, two – or at the most three – should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.  If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quite in the church and speak to himself and God.  Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.  And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.  For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.  The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of the prophets.  For God is not a God of disorder but of peace… Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

(1 Corinthians 14:26-33,40).

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

(Colossians 3:15-17).

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt.  Test everything.  Hold on to the good, avoid every kind of evil.

(1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you recognise the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. (1 John 4:1-3)

For further study: (1 Corinthians 14).

 

13.  What Is The Heart of all this?

 

Firstly, we must be…

 

Born of the Spirit.  John 3:8

 

… And Then: 

 

Be filled with the Spirit.  Ephesians 5:18

 

Keep in step with the Spirit.  Galatians 5:25

 

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit Of God. 

Ephesians 4:30

 

Live by the Spirit.  Galatians 5:16

 

 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:14).

 

Scripture taken from NIV (UK) – International Bible Society.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Bible Baptist Church Malta